The Great Indian Fightback

Miracles do happen! The near capacity crowd were privileged to witness one on Day 3 at Jamtha in Nagpur. With their country down and out, bruised and battered, torn apart and written off - 2 Indians, MS Dhoni (99) and Virat Kohli (103) rose from adversity and produced a brilliant 198 run-stand for the 5th wicket to lead India's fightback before England struck back in the final hour to reduce the hosts to 297/8 at stumps. The home team still trailed the visitors by 33.

India began Day 3, trailing England by a massive 243 runs. If ever they needed their captain, MS Dhoni to lead by example, it was today. If ever Virat Kohli needed to transform all those brilliant performances in limited overs cricket to the longer format of the game, it was today!

Both the batsmen needed to curb their natural instincts and bat for survival. Their first aim was to avoid the embarrassment of a follow-on. They survived a testing opening spell from James Anderson and Monty Panesar. The going was slow, the going was tough and runs were at a premium but that's what Test cricket is all about. The first target had been achieved - the follow-on had been avoided.

Both the batsmen had shown tremendous character and resilience to adapt to the situation and play according to the need and demand of the hour. They left the good deliveries alone, showed good feet movement, going forward or back with confidence and their defense was solid. Most of the runs were scored off the back foot to short or just short of a length deliveries. The pair did not want to go for the expansive drives on the front-foot due to the slow nature of the wicket with the odd ball stopping and coming onto the bat. A well earned and hard-fought 50 run stand was brought up for the 6th wicket.

Graeme Swann was guilty of bowling a few short deliveries which Dhoni punched off the backfoot to the boundary. Both he and Kohli defied all the English bowlers and put up a stubborn and dogged unbeaten 75 run stand to take India to 146 for 4 at Lunch. The home team had added just 59 to their overnight score in the session but more importantly they had played out 32 overs without losing a wicket.

Virat Kohli reached a well deserved and crucial half-century post Lunch with a scintillating cover drive off Panesar - an innings of great perseverance and determination. He had played out 171 deliveries to reach his 6th Test half-century and probably the most valuable one of his career.

India had reached 163/4 off 81 overs. Alastair Cook opted for the second new ball. James Anderson was handed over the new cherry. He was welcomed into the attack by a ferocious cut to the point boundary from the Indian captain. The Indian duo brought up the century stand for the 5th wicket - a tremendous achievement under pressure, given the situation of the match and the series. Dhoni soon reached his 18th Test 50 - a fantastic and responsible innings under pressure after promoting himself up the order ahead of the debutant Ravindra Jadeja.

Both the batsmen changed gears now. They had spent enough time at the crease and their confidence was high. Dhoni hit some blistering boundaries through the off-side and Kohli followed suit and hit some electrifying cover drives and powerful cuts to the boundary. The Indian skipper thumped Graeme Swann over long-on for a towering six. The pair had put up a brilliant 150 stand and faced more than 400 deliveries. England went wicket-less for 2 consecutive sessions. India went to Tea at 227/4 off 100 overs. Dhoni was unbeaten on 75 while Kohli was batting on 77. The partnership was worth 156. India trailed England by 103.

Alastair Cook was under pressure for the first time since Ahmedabad. The England captain was running out of options. The boundaries were now coming more frequently. The field was well spread out. England were feeling the heat. Kohli and Dhoni had pushed them on the backfoot. Both the batsmen were in their nineties now. Virat Kohli hit a beautiful straight drive and the ball would have beaten Pietersen at mid-on hadn't it hit MS Dhoni's bat at the non-striker's end.

The flamboyant batsman made room to a short-ish Swann delivery and thrashed it in front of square for a boundary to reach his 3rd Test ton. He celebrated in style with a leap in the air and a pumping of the fist.

Graeme Swann ended Kohli's magnificent vigil at the crease getting him lbw off the first ball after the last drinks break. Kohli departed for a majestic 103. The 198 run-stand had been broken. Ravindra Jadeja survived a few early anxious moments. He got a couple of edges which went through the slip cordon. He never looked at ease at the crease and was finally dismissed by James Anderson, plumb lbw for 12. India had lost 2 wickets in quick succession and had been reduced to 288/6.

MS Dhoni, who had been stuck in the nineties for a while now was watching all this from the non-striker's end. He had been kept off strike for some time. On 99, he attempted a quick single after a firm drive to Alastair Cook at mid-off. The England skipper hit the stumps directly and Dhoni was short by the minutest of margins. The decision was referred to the 3rd umpire who after a long deliberation, declared the Indian skipper out. The crowd were stunned into silence. Dhoni fell short by an inch and a run!

Graeme Swann cleaned up Piyush Chawla for 1 and India had lost their 4th wicket for 28 runs in the final hour of play on Day 3. The hosts ended the day on 297/8, still trailing England by 33.

It had been a remarkable day of Test cricket. The first two sessions were dominated by India with an incredible fightback from MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. England came back well in the final hour courtesy Anderson and Swann, who had picked up 4 and 3 wickets respectively in the innings and that brilliant run-out by captain Cook.

India would hope that R. Ashwin shows the same spirit and fight as he has so far in this series, takes inspiration from his skipper and Kohli and helps India surpass the English total. For the moment, India can hold their heads high with pride and honour. Dhoni has silenced his critics, at least for the time being. But he would know, that the job is still half-done, that it would still require a special effort from India to save this Test, leave alone winning it. The captain has led from the front. It is now upto the other senior players to take responsibility. Will Dhoni's and Kohli's inspiring knocks rub off on the other Indian players. Will it motivate them to produce a fairy tale ending for India? The match is hanging in the balance. Someone needs to own it. An intriguing Day 4 awaits!

Suresh Raina has expressed his desire to bat higher up in the Indian line-up in order to have the opportunity to face more overs which would enable him to showcase his full batting prowess and potential.

India would want to end the series on a high as they take on England in the fifth and final ODI in the scenic locations of Dharamsala, which is all set to host its first ever international match. With the series having already been sealed by the hosts, a few changes are expected in both the sides for this dead rubber.

The Indians first restricted the visitors to 257 for seven and then overcame some anxious moments before overhauling the target with 15 balls to spare in a floodlit contest played in cold conditions at the PCA stadium.

I guess we are just going into the game trying to execute our skills as best as we can and if we do that and perform like we did in the first game, there is every chance we can turn them over: Tredwell.